The British Aerospace Jetstream 41 has its name firmly in a design concept that began in the late 1950s with Handley Page.
However, the BAe Jetstream 41 was a completely new design that carried forward the traditions of the brand.
The Jetstream 41 prototype after its roll-out at Prestwick.
After the collapse and closure of Handley Page Aircraft in 1970, Scottish Aviation took on the design authority for the Jetstream and continued the manufacture of the Jetstream 200 range of aircraft. These saw a modicum of success with the RAF in particular, who ordered 26 aircraft into production. With a healthy order book, Scottish Aviation were later merged with British Aircraft Corporation and Hawker Siddeley in the 1977 privatisation that led to the creation of British Aerospace (BAe).
BAe recognised the value of the design and produced 386 examples of the Jetstream 31 / 32, which is described elsewhere on this website.
In 1993, BAe adopted the 'Jetstream' branding as its identity for all twin turboprop aircraft and it designed and built the BAe Jetstream 41, as well as the unrelated (but co-branded) BAe Advanced Turbo-Prop (ATP) which was also designated as BAe Jetstream 61, and is described elsewhere on this website.
However, the 'BAe Jetstream 61' name was never used in service, and it retained its 'ATP' marketing brand. The company also proposed the BAe Jetstream 51 and BAe Jetstream 71 but these never came to fruition.
The BAe Jetstream 41 design was a twenty-nine seat commuter / feeder-line aircraft, powered by two Allied Signal TPE331-14 1,650 shp engines, driving five-blade propellers. Whilst it was notionally an evolution from the Handley Page Jetstream 31 / 32, the airframe was of completely new design and featured a fuselage which was stretched by 16 feet, by means of an 8 ft 3 in plug, forward of the wing and a 7 ft 9 in plug to the rear. There were no common components from the earlier design either.
G-PRJT was the second Jetstream 41 and was used as a demonstrator, seen here at the Farnborough Air Show.The BAE Jetstream 41 design demanded a wing of greater span, with revised ailerons and flaps. This was mounted to pass below the fuselage, allowing increased baggage capacity in the larger wing root fairings.
From a sales perspective, it was intended to compete directly with 30-seat aircraft like the Embraer Brasilia, Dornier 328 and the Saab 340.
The prototype BAe Jetstream 41 (G-GCJL) was rolled out on 27th March 1991 and first flew at Prestwick on 25th September 1991. Within 2 months the first aircraft destined for passenger service was delivered to Manx Airlines (25th November 1992).
In January 1996, the BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft became part of the Aero International (Regional) (AI(R)), a marketing consortium consisting of ATR, Aérospatiale (of France), Alenia (of Italy) and British Aerospace. Initial sales were strong, but despite this in May 1997, BAe announced that it was terminating BAe Jetstream 41 production, with 100 aircraft delivered.
The final, total number built is actually recorded as 104 with the last BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft (G-4-104) leaving Prestwick for completion at Hurn (Bournemouth) on 19th February 1998.
This aircraft was eventually delivered to the Hong Kong Government in February 1999.
Eastern Airways BAe Jetstream 41 G-MAJY departs Southampton, Eastleigh in September 2017.
The type remains in service world-wide, with 51 examples remaining operational in July 2018. UK-based Eastern Airways is the largest operator, with a fleet including 14 BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft.
Numbers
| Total 104 aircraft | Four prototypes and 100 production aircraft |
Specification
| Powerplant | Two 1,650 shp Allied Signal TPE331-14 GR/HR turboprops |
| Span | 60 ft 5 in |
| Maximum Weight | 24,000 lb |
| Capacity | Three crew (two flight and one cabin) and 29 passengers |
| Max Cruise Speed | 340 mph |
| Cruise Speed | 288 mph |
| Range | 891 miles |
Survivors
The Jetstream 41 remains in service world-wide, but one example is preserved for public display.
|
BAe Jetstream 41
(G-JMAC) 4th prototype
|
Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group (John Lennon Liverpool Airport) www.aeroflight.co.uk/museums/main/speke-aerodrome-heritage-group.htm |
